


Finding Catharsis

by ProfessionalCatFan (idemandahug)



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Awkwardness, Character Study, Coffee, Conversations, Developing Friendships, Emotions, Feelings, Gen, Male-Female Friendship, Reminiscing, Self-Esteem Issues, Therapy, Trust Issues, Understanding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2021-01-31 13:02:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21446644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idemandahug/pseuds/ProfessionalCatFan
Summary: Goro Akechi is alive. Goro Akechi is friends with her friends. A few years after the main game, Haru Okumura refuses to avert her eyes and decides that in order to move forward she needs to understand the enigma known as Akechi, with nothing but aggressive kindness and sympathy as her weapons....Goro Akechi, meanwhile, struggles to understand why Haru Okumura is trying to befriend him.
Relationships: Akechi Goro & Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro & Okumura Haru, Kurusu Akira & Okumura Haru
Comments: 5
Kudos: 75





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A self-indulgent fanfic about awkward friendships, because I haven't seen many fics that tackle how Haru feels about Akechi in a way I personally find satisfying. Enjoy?

The nights are monotonous in such an out-of-the-way shop, but it suits Goro Akechi’s needs perfectly. The last thing he wants is someone recognising the fallen detective prince, and he doubts many of his ex-fans would be interested in a shop that sells model guns. His boss, a surly man called Iwai or something, has made it clear he doesn’t care about Goro’s past, even if he does raise an eyebrow at his new part-timer’s skill in gun maintenance. 

Dusting the counter's surface, Goro begrudgingly admits to himself that he only has this job because of Akira Kurusu. It was Akira with his dizzying list of connections who said, “I know the perfect place,” and dragged Goro to the airsoft shop. It was Akira who said, “Let me do the talking,” which was rich coming from someone who rarely said five words in succession, and it was Akira who convinced Iwai, though his arguments _(“He doesn’t take up much space, he’s quiet, he’ll be on his best behaviour”) _made Goro feel more like an unwanted puppy than a part-timer. Iwai apparently thought the same thing, because he laughed and laughed and said, “Fine, your friend can work here.”

So, now Goro has a job, and thank god for that because it gives him a way of saving money. Though Sae's his legal guardian now, Goro doesn’t want to spend the rest of his days in the Nijima household’s spare room.

Right now, he’s in the process of cleaning the shop until it shines, because Goro Akechi refuses to half ass any task, and he can’t deny he’s dusting with a lot more vigour after Iwai gave him a gruff, “Not bad,” the day before. He’s so focused, in fact, that he doesn’t look up from the counter when someone opens the front door. It’s only when Iwai says, “…Are you sure you’re in the right place?” and a cheerful and, more importantly, _familiar_ voice responds, “Yes, I am! But thank you for asking!” that Goro head snaps up. He wasn’t mistaken. Haru Okumura has waltzed into the airsoft shop, bright eyes glancing around in a vague attempt at browsing.

Goro promptly decides this has nothing to do with him and gets back to work. If Okumura wants to buy a new grenade launcher or whatever, then, frankly, he won’t go out of his way to help. Goro and Okumura don’t talk beyond basic greetings, an unspoken rule that he’s happy to oblige. He doesn’t expect or want her to go beyond that.

“Good evening, Akechi-kun. How are you?”

But beyond that she goes, because Okumura plants herself firmly in front of him, having injected a noticeably extra dose of positivity into her voice.

“…Fine,” he says, abandoning everything he ever learnt about small talk in the hopes she’ll leave it at that.

“I’m glad to hear that!” But she’s _still there, _still looking at him expectantly in a way that makes Goro bristle. He counts to ten and scrounges together the remains of his polite persona.

“My apologies, Okumura-san, but I’m working right now. Too busy to talk, you see.”

Okumura deflates somewhat, which bewilders Goro further. What did she expect? He’s _at work_. Not only that, but why would she want to talk to him in the first place? It can’t be an emergency, because Okumura would surely throw aside pleasantries if the situation were dire, right?

Unfortunately, Iwai uses that moment of confused silence to say, “Hey, part-timer, your shift’s over. Go home.”

_…Fuck._ With his job excuse destroyed, Okumura looks at him hopefully. Goro stops himself from groaning.

Once they’ve stepped outside into the cool night air, Goro sending one last betrayed glare to the shop, he turns to Okumura and asks, “So, did something happen?”

“Nothing at all,” Okumura says, sounding surprised. “I was simply hoping to talk with you.”

“…About what? And please remember I have a train to catch.” Goro can’t prevent the irritated note in his voice, but Okumura only ignores it.

“Oh, of course! I’m sorry. In that case…” Okumura makes a show of humming in thought; a clearly practiced action. “Are you free tomorrow? I’d like to speak with you at Leblanc, over coffee.” She smiles a little. “I’ve been interning there, you know. My coffee isn’t as good as Boss’s yet, but I’m learning.”

“Is… that so?” The world is throwing surprise after surprise at Goro tonight. Her suggestion screams ulterior motive, but he can’t think of what those motives would be. Or is she planning to poison his coffee? She doesn’t seem the type, though Goro’s seen enough of society’s dark side to know not to judge a book by its cover.

“Does half an hour before opening time work for you? I don’t want to disturb the other customers, and Boss said he’d let us talk privately.”

“I’d have to check my schedule,” Goro says, as if he wasn’t going to sleep the morning away. The mention of Boss catches his attention. How much has she planned this, exactly? Who else is involved?

“Then, please let me know if there’s a time that works better for you. I’m happy to reschedule.” Okumura claps her hands together, further convincing Goro that this is all planned. “I believe you already have my chat ID?”

“I… I do, but…” Goro shakes his head. At some point in the past 10 minutes, the world stopped making sense. “Okumura-san, what is this about? We’re not exactly close, and for good reason.”

“I’m aware of that,” Okumura says, her voice softening. “And I think that’s exactly why we need to do this. Akechi-kun, I want to sit down and talk with you—more than that, I want to understand you.”

“Understand—?!”

“I don’t want this to hang over our heads for the rest of our lives,” Okumura insists. “My friends are your friends. It’s not as though we can avoid each other. I want to know why you did the things you did, and what you’re doing now. I want to know more about your feelings and your worries. I want to know that you’re doing your utmost best to atone. So, yes, Akechi-kun, I want to understand you, and I want to help you move forward however possible.”

Goro is struck speechless. Okumura takes this as a good sign, apparently, and steps away.

“I hope to see you tomorrow,” she says and leaves, footsteps echoing in the crisp night like gunshots against Goro’s ears. It’s not until he’s on the train home that their conversation finally sinks in.

Haru Okumura wants an in-depth conversation about his life and his _feelings_, of all things.

_…Please tell me she’s planning to poison the coffee._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I managed to update this, though my chapters remain dreadfully short, sadly...

Goro knows the train is moving at the same speed as usual, but that night it feels horribly slow, dragging along the tracks and scraping seconds from his life. The train is fairly empty this late at night, a fact Goro that can only appreciate. It gives him the breathing room to really _think._

As the train slows down for another stop, Goro pulls out his phone.

"Did you put her up to this?" is his first question, a tired grumble.

"Oh, so you saw Haru?" Akira responds with no hesitation._ So, he knew._ "And no, I didn't. She decided this on her own."

Goro sighs, tugging at the ends of his hair. He might have understood Haru approaching him had Akira, the natural born meddler, told her to do so. But if Akira truly had no part in this, Goro's left in a conundrum. He knows nothing about Haru. What could she be planning?

"She just wants to talk," says Akira, as if reading his mind.

"Sorry if I find that difficult to believe. Most people wouldn't want to talk with their father's—" Goro catches himself. The train is only _nearly_ empty. People were glancing his way after he raised his voice, and he could only imagine their faces if he declared himself a murderer. "I... I just can't understand what she's thinking," he says in a lower voice.

Akira is silent for a moment. The train continues rattling along the tracks.

"Are you going to see her?"

"Of course not. Why should I?"

"Well..." Akira hums in thought. Goro can imagine him absently petting Morgana. "It might be good for you. Both of you, I mean. Get everything out in the open. Besides, I think you'd get along."

"Feeling optimistic, are you?" Goro mutters. "That doesn't change the fact that this is a terrible idea."

"Or maybe it's a _great_ idea. Besides, it's not like you get nothing out of this. You'll have the chance to sample more of Leblanc's great coffee and curry."

Goro turns his eyes to the shuddering ceiling.

"If I go," he says, "It's for my own reasons, and not because you told me to."

"Right."

"And I reserve the right to leave at any point."

"Of course."

Goro can already feel the expectation weighing across his neck. He doesn't really have a choice, unless he wants to be seen as a coward.

In the morning, he will meet with Haru Okumura for coffee and conversation.

Exhaustion settles in his bones: it's either his own tiredness catching up with him, or a preemptive reaction to tomorrow.


End file.
